Salt Lake City, UT – On Monday afternoon, seven-year-old Hser Nay Moo (pronounced Sen Na Moo) got in a fight with her 10-year-old brother. She stalked out of the family’s apartment, and her father asked Hser where she was going. She tossed her head, but didn’t answer. Her father watched her walk south for a few minutes and decided to give Hser, a bright but shy little girl who was learning English, time to cool off. Hser Nay Moo never made it home.

Hser left the family apartment at about 2:00 p.m. Monday. When her older brothers returned home at 4:30, Hser still hadn’t returned. After searching for her for an hour, police were called to help at 6:10 by a family friend who spoke English. Because no witnesses saw an abductor, no Amber Alert was issued. While a bigger search was organized at 10:30 p.m. Monday, still no Amber Alert went out.

By Tuesday morning, Hser was nowhere to be found. Volunteers began streaming into the Salt Lake apartment complex to help, but were asked to wait before searching. Organization was slow, and by 9:30 when search teams still weren’t cleared to go look for the child, police issued an Amber Alert. At 11:15, searchers were finally given the go-ahead to start looking, and police began searching in force for the little seven year old girl, dressed all in pink except for her black Burmese coat. Searchers were told to look for long black hair and pink Crocs, or a pink dress. The day went on with no sign of Hser, and increasing panic on the part of her family, who have been in the US less than a year.

At 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, FBI agents found Hser in an apartment a few buildings over, but in the same complex, as her own. Agents located the child dead in the apartment bathroom. The apartment was occupied by five men, so I think we can guarantee rape as a motive. Hser’s small body showed signs of trauma, but authorities are not yet disclosing her injuries or estimated time of death.

The five men who live in the apartment where Hser was found were taken into custody. Wednesday morning, 21-year-old Esar Met admitted to kidnapping and killing Hser and hiding her body. Met is being held in Salt Lake City on suspicion of aggravated murder, child kidnapping, and tampering with evidence. Aggravated murder is a death penalty eligible charge in Utah.

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